Victorian underwear exhibit tops ice cream social

There’s going to be plenty to do at the Oakland County Pioneer and Historical Society annual Ice Cream Social on Saturday, July 29. But, really, trying on underwear?

Yep. But it is important to note that this isn’t just any underwear. It’s Victorian underwear.

“I love telling people we have an R-rated exhibit,” said Linda Porter, of the OCPHS, who came up with the idea. But lest you be overcome by an attack of the “vapors” at the thought, don’t worry, this will be a proper exhibit. And there also will be Victorian hats to sample.

There will be a lot more, including a LEGOland Discovery Center; a vintage car show (“Bring your 50-year-old or older car so people can ogle it,” Porter said); music, including the Big Chief Chorus and Men of Grace singers; and food, cake and ice cream.

There also will be an antique appraiser on site who will value your treasure for $5, with the fee going to the OCPHS.

In addition there also will be a big garage sale from noon to 4 p.m. Friday, July 28, and all day Saturday, July 29. If you don’t find anything there that appeals to you, you can visit the gift shop on site.

Over at the schoolhouse, Lois Keel will talk about the Hello Girls, who were bilingual ladies hired by General Pershing in World War I to work the switchboards in France to provide wartime communications. They were part of the Signal Corps, Porter said, but because they were considered civilian employees, they did not receive official recognition as veterans by the government until 1978. Madden Brady also will give a talk about the doughboys of World War I.

All the fun will take place between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday, July 29, at Pine Grove, the headquarters of the OCPHS at 405 Cesar Chavez Ave. in Pontiac.

Admission is $7 per person and $15 for a family of five. There’s free, secure parking on site. For more information, go to www.ocphs.org.

The annual Ice Cream Social is the key fundraiser for the OCPHS, the oldest historical society in Oakland County. Pine Grove is the homestead of Moses Wisner, who was governor of Michigan in the late 1850s.